|
|
|
|
Welcome to the Home of the
Medford Cal Ripken League
|
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR VETERANS ON MEMORIAL DAY !
May 25, 2008
For those service Men and Women who gave the " Last Full Measure"..in the words of Abraham Lincoln
Intercity Baseball League Starts May 27th!
May 27, 2008
Come watch some of the finest amateur/semi-pro Baseball in all of New England! Best of all, it's Free! Please visit; www.intercityleaguebaseball.com for the complete schedule and list of Teams, including the Medford Americans and Andre Chiefs!!
RED SOX WIN 2008 SEASON OPENER IN UNITED STATES, 5-0 !
April 8, 2008
Dice K spins a beauty, striking out seven Tiger batters in 6 and 2/3rd innings of shutout Baseball !
RED SOX WIN 2008 SEASON OPENER IN JAPAN, 6 to 5!
March 26, 2008
Rookie Brandon Moss collects his 1st Major League HR, off A's reliever Huston Street, to tie the Game in the 9th inning! Manny Ramirez strokes a 2 run double in the 10th to seal the " W' !!
Why Cal Ripken Baseball ?!
The Eastern Massachusetts Cal Ripken Division of Babe Ruth Baseball is comprised of 58 programs and over 25,000 players in Eastern Massachusetts ! Join other local Towns that have recently converted including; Arlington, Everett, Winchester, Burlington, Bedford, North Waltham and Revere.
Our goal is to provide a safe and rewarding experience to all players from ages 5 through 12. Our philosophy is simple: have fun, learn the game of baseball and develop wonderful memories !!
1. Kids always come first!
2. International affiliation with Babe Ruth Leagues, Inc.
3. Local league autonomy. Run your league your way!
4. No "Forced" Charter splits!
5. No "Forced" Charter links !
6. No restrictions on outside invitational play during regular season.
7. The most comprehensive and affordable league insurance to be found.
8. Post Season Tournament play for 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U 60' & 12U 70'.
9. No cost World Series for 10U & 12U.
10. Staff of volunteers in MA dedicated to supporting "Your Program".
11. No bid tournament hosting!
For more information contact;
MA State Director; Michael Janicki @ Janicki@tmlp.com
or
Alan Noyes @ alannoyes@comcast.net
Please visit; www.baberuthleague.org
2008 Bay State Tournament of Champions; Team Registration Deadline !
May 1, 2008
Terrific Summer Baseball for 9-12 year old Players! Available to any Local Youth Baseball Team/League!
Team Registration forms will be sent out on May 1, 2008.
Opening Day of the 2008 Bay State Tournament of Champions is June 28th !
Please contact President Don McGowan to receive complete information;
President Don McGowan
206 Fox Hill Road
Burlington, MA 01803 (H) 781-272-0529
(C) 617-771-0257
(E) baystatebaseball@aol.com
GREAT ADVICE FOR YOUTH COACHES/MANAGERS!
March 23, 2008
COACHES CORNER
Babe Ruth League, Inc.
1770 Brunswick Pike, Trenton, NJ 08638
609-695-1434 • www.baberuthleague.org
Excellence in Coaching
January 23, 2008
CHAPTER ONE ; YOUR ROLE AS A BASEBALL COACH !
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We hope you enjoyed the first issue of Coaches Corner, which features excerpts from the Babe Ruth League Coaching Education and Certification Program offered online by ASEP.
A baseball coach is a teacher and a trainer. When the coach speaks, everyone listens. A coach identifies educational goals, organizes information, develops lesson (practice) plans, provides learning stimulus, and monitors the progress of athletes. Whether in practices or games, the coach seeks to create and maintain an effective learning environment. This is especially true with young players.
Chapter two of the online training program offered by ASEP teaches strategies that will help coaches communicate effectively with players, parents and umpires.
CHAPTER 2 – COMMUNICATING AS A COACH
What is Involved in Communication:
Coaches often mistakenly believe that communication involves only instructing players to do something, but verbal commands are only a small part of the communication process. In fact, more than half of communication is nonverbal.
How Can I Send More Effective Messages:
Young athletes often have little understanding of the rules and skills of baseball and probably even less confidence in playing it. So, they need accurate, understandable, and supportive messages to help them along. That’s why your verbal and nonverbal messages are so important.
Verbal Messages:
Spoken words can have a strong and long-lasting effect. Coaches’ words are particularly influential; because youngsters place great importance on what coaches say. Whether you are correcting misbehavior, teaching a player how to hit the ball, or praising a player for good effort, you should consider a number of things when sending a message verbally:
Be positive and honest. Nothing turns people off like hearing someone nag all the time. Athletes react similarly to a coach who gripes constantly. Kids need encouragement because they often doubt their ability. So, look for and tell your players what they do well. But don’t cover up poor or incorrect play with rosy words of praise. If you fail to acknowledge your players’ errors, your athletes will think you are a phony. A good way to correct a performance error is to first point out what the athlete did correctly, then explain in a positive way what he or she is doing wrong and show him or her how to correct it. Finish by encouraging the athlete and emphasizing the correct performance.
State it clearly and simply. Positive and honest messages are good, but only if expressed directly in words your players understand. Organize your thoughts before speaking to your athletes. Explain things thoroughly, but don’t bore them with long-winded monologues. Use language your players understand.
Say it loud enough, and say it again. Talk to your team in a voice that all members can hear and interpret. A crisp, vigorous voice commands attention and respect. However, it is okay to soften your voice when speaking to a player individually about a personal problem. Sometimes what you say, even if stated loudly and clearly, won’t sink in the first time. To avoid boring repetition and yet get your message across, say the same thing in a slightly different way.
Be consistent. Avoid sending mixed messages. Keep the tone of your voice consistent with the words you use. Don’t say something one day and contradict it the next; players will get their wires crossed.
Nonverbal Messages:
Just as you should be consistent in the tone of your voice and words you use, you should also keep your verbal and nonverbal messages consistent with each other. An example of failing to do this would be shaking your head, indicating disapproval, while at the same time telling a player, “Nice try.” Facial expressions and body language are just two of the more obvious forms of nonverbal signals that can help you when you coach.
Facial Expressions – The look on a person’s face is the quickest clue to what he or she thinks or feels. Serious, stone-faced expressions are no help to kids who need cues as to how they are performing. They will just assume you’re unhappy or disinterested. Don’t be afraid to smile. A smile from a coach gives a great boost to an unsure athlete and lets your players know that you are happy coaching them.
Body Language – Carry yourself in a pleasant, confident and vigorous manner. Such a posture not only projects happiness with your coaching role, it also provides a good example for your young players, who may model your behavior.
How Can I Improve My Receiving Skills:
The requirements for receiving messages are quite simple, but receiving skills are perhaps less satisfying and therefore underdeveloped compared to sending skills. People seem to naturally enjoy hearing themselves talk more than hearing others talk.
Attention – First, you must pay attention and listen to what others have to communicate to you. That’s not always easy when you’re busy coaching and have many things competing for your attention. In one-on-one situations and during team meetings, you must really focus on what they are telling you, both verbally and nonverbally. Not only will such focused attention help you catch every word your players say, it will also provide cues to your players’ moods and physical states.
Listen Carefully – How we receive messages from others demonstrates how much we care for the sender and what that person has to tell us.
Providing Feedback:
Your players will be looking to you for feedback all the time. You can respond in many different ways, but how you respond will strongly affect your players. Praising players when they have performed or behaved well is an effective way of getting them to repeat that behavior in the future. And positive feedback for effort is an especially effective way to motivate youngsters to work on difficult skills. Sometimes just the way you word feedback can make it more positive. For example, instead of saying, “Don’t throw the ball that way,” you might say, “Throw the ball this way.” You can give positive feedback verbally and nonverbally. Telling a player, especially in front of teammates, that he or she has performed well, is a great way to boost confidence. And a pat on the back or a handshake can be a tangible way of communicating your recognition of a player’s performance.
Who Else Do I need to Communicate With:
Parents. Before the season begins, you should hold a meeting with all of the team’s parents. Discuss what you hope to accomplish with the team during the season. Also stress that in order to run efficient, fun, and effective practices and to make their playing experience as enjoyable as possible, parental assistance will be needed. You should feel comfortable asking each parent to serve as a volunteer assistant for one or two weeks during the season, while encouraging parents to come out and assist whenever they have free time. Develop an email list to keep players and parents informed. You should always be accessible to parents who have questions, and you should answer questions in a timely and polite manner.
Spectators. If you hear spectators criticizing your coaching, don’t respond. Keep calm, consider whether the message has any value; and if it doesn’t, forget it. Acknowledging critical comments from fans will only encourage others to voice their opinions.
Umpires. How you communicate with umpires will have a great influence on the way your players behave toward them. Therefore, you need to set an example. Greet umpires with a handshake, an introduction and perhaps some casual conversation. Don’t make nasty remarks, shout or use disrespectful body gestures. Your players will notice, and they’ll get the idea that such behavior is appropriate.
Opposing Players and Coaches. Make an effort to visit with the coach of the opposing team before the game. During the game, don’t get into a personal feud with the opposing coach. Remember, it’s the kids, not the coaches, who are competing. By getting along well with the opposing coach, you’ll show your players that competition involves cooperation and sportsmanship. After the game, make it a point to look each opposing player and coach in the eye when shaking hands. Tell them that they did a good job, and wish them luck for the rest of their season. And, do it in such a manner that your players take notice.
Hopefully, this issue has provided you with tips on how to communicate and deal with a variety of issues that coaches face when dealing with players, parents, and umpires. Remember to remain calm, to stay in control and to address issues at the appropriate time, always keeping in mind what’s best for your players.
If you haven’t already done so, please visit www.BabeRuthCoaching.org to become the coach that every player looks up to…become the coach that makes a difference in a youngster’s life…be the best role model that you can be.
" The Function of Free Speech... is to Invite Dispute" !
November 6, 2007
Quote by Supreme Court Justice, William O'Douglas; something to ponder for a certain MIT Baseball official, aka " Mr. Cheapshot" ! Happy Election Day, RG ! Democracy is a wonderful thing...
SAY IT AIN'T SO, ROGER!!
Future Hall of Fame Pitcher?! We shall see in 2012 ! Enjoy your " Retirement" Roger...
" The Emperor has no Clothes! "
December 16, 2007
Major League Baseball Commish, ex-used car salesman, Bud Selig ! This fiasco happened on your watch, Bud.....
In front of the cameras, Bud Selig is trying to get one over us with that old Claude Rains line from Casablanca, "I am shocked, shocked, that there's Steroid Use going on here."
RED SOX BREAK OUT THE BROOMS! SWEEP HAPLESS ROCKIES IN FOUR GAMES!
October 29, 2007
SOX WIN SECOND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 4 YEARS!! MIKE LOWELL NAMED SERIES MVP!
Red Sox roll to the AL Championship! Bring on the Rockies!!
October 22, 2007
Let the Celebration Begin ! # 58 , the " River Dance Kid " !!
See you next Year, Bronx Bombers!
October 7, 2007
Another Season.. without a Championship!! Indians knock off NY in 4 Games !
Red Sox break out the Brooms! Angels swept aside, 9 to 1 !
October 7, 2007
Schilling spins a Gem ! Papi and Manny break out the Big Sticks, back to back HR's !
Way to Go Manny !!
October 6, 2007
Manny Ramirez smokes a 3 run Walk-off Homer to lead Sox to victory in Game 2 at Fenway Park !
Red Sox take Game One over the Angels, 4 to 0 ! Beckett Dominates!
October 4, 2007
Red Sox take 1-0 lead over Angels! Only 10 more wins to go for another Title !
New Choke Job for the other NY Baseball Team !!
October 1, 2007
Compliments of cartoonist Larry Johnson !
Attempt to move on from differences on MIT/Medford LL Baseball...
September 24, 2007
Editor's Note; In an attempt to try and reach an agreement ,to agree to disagree ,about certain aspects of the past MIT Tourney/Medford LL Baseball, I recently sent a copy of the following E-mail,dated 9-20-07, to Mr. Giovino, aka " Mr. Cheapshot";
Ron, "I probably should have "requested" that you might consider removing that information. Any difference of opinions that we have on Medford Baseball are probably better kept out of the Cal Ripken/MIT Websites. These should be focused on what's really important; better serving the kids/ young adults that play Baseball in the Medford community. Life's just too short.. just a thought. Thanks for responding to my previous E-Mail." Peter Colford
I was hoping that RG would,in turn, remove my "file" from his MIT Website. By the way sports fans, guess who also called up Babe Ruth National Headquarters in NJ whining/complaining like a 6 year old about my previous comments? You guessed it! RG, aka " Mr. Cheapshot" !
As a courtesy to RG, I took down my previous post on 9-17, from this Medford Cal Ripken Website, ; this comment was my response to his personal, hurtful attack on my 12 year old son. His response? A bunch of nonsense,with even more unproven garbage, directed against me in the Friday 9-21 edition of the Medford Mercury.
P.S. Just to get your "facts" straight RG concerning your most recent shot at me in the 9-21 Mercury; no one from Cal Ripken League Headquarters "straightened me out"! I was asked, as a favor to Mr. Rob Connor, to remove the material in an attempt to end our little "debate" and move on to more important things. Looks like it was a waste of time on my part! Too bad..
9-28-07; Hey RG; Just wanted to let you know that Babe Ruth HQ offered to send you some cheese and crackers to go along with your recent" whine" about my comments. All you have to do is remove my" file" from your MIT Website and we can move on! Offer still stands...
2007 American League Champions !!
September 29, 2007
" All Empires Must Fall...
Red Sox win first AL Championship in 12 Years !!
September 29, 2007
"Winning the division was important," said owner John W. Henry, who received a shampoo of Korbel California Champagne Extra Dry from Papelbon. "I think we all knew it was important."
Another NY Baseball Team with a colossal Choke Job !!
September 30, 2007
Sunday September 30,2007; NEW YORK, NY (AP) - The collapse is complete!!
After blowing a big September lead in the NL East, the New York Mets missed the playoffs Sunday when Tom Glavine was tagged for seven runs during the first inning of an 8-1 loss to the Florida Marlins in the regular-season finale.
New York's loss coupled with Philadelphia's 6-1 win over Washington gave the division title to the Phillies and sent the stunned Mets home for the winter wondering how they squandered a seven-game cushion over the final 18 days of an excruciating season.
Now, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez and the rest of this talented team will forever be remembered alongside the 1964 Phillies and other famous failures for skidding to one of baseball's most monumental collapses.
No major league team had owned a lead of seven games or more with 17 to play, or been up by at least seven on Sept. 12 or later, and failed to finish in first place.
Big Papi Strikes Again!!
September 13, 2007
Mr. Clutch, #34, comes through again for the Sox!
Clay Buchholz becomes the first Red Sox rookie to throw a No-Hitter!
September 2, 2007
A Historic Saturday night at Fenway Park as 23 Year old Clay Buchholz becomes the first Red Sox rookie to throw a no-hitter in their 10-0 win over the hapless Baltimore Orioles!!
GOLD FOR SOUTH MEDFORD!!
August 13, 2007
Congratulations to the South Medford " A" Bay State All Star Team as they won the Round 3 Gold Trophy yesterday with a 5-4 victory over Burlington at West Side Field in Winchester!
Roster for South Medford - "A" Division Champions:
Anthony Brown
Jarrid DiGangi
Sean Doncaster
Kevin Foley
Mark Fusco
John Lavoie
Johnny LeBlanc
Mark Marino
Ryan Mcconnell
Michael Moschella
Jake Porrazzo
Coaches and Managers;
Manager Lonnie Hillson
Coach Mark Layton
Coach Michael LeBlanc
Coach Michael LeBlanc Jr
Thrilling Comeback Win by South Medford; 8 to 7 !!
August 11, 2007
South Medford " A" beat Waltham today 8 to 7, over at West Side Field in Winchester, to kick off opening play in the Bay State Tournament " Trophy Weekend". Down 6 to 0 after two innings, the battling South Medford squad stormed back to take an exciting 8 to 7 victory over Waltham! Come watch Sunday August 12th at 12pm, West Side Field in Winchester, as they take on the Burlington Red " A" Team for the Gold Trophy!
Congratulations to the Bay State South Medford " A" Team!
August 10, 2007
A Perfect 6-0 Record in Round Three of the Bay State Tournament of Champions! The Team advances to the Trophy Weekend; next Game is at 2:00, Saturday August 11th at Westside Fields in Winchester. Good Luck!
Way to go Cal and Tony!!
July 29, 2007
Welcome to Cooperstown, Mr. Oriole and Mr. Padre!!
The "Real" HR King! Hammerin' Hank Aaron, #44 !!
July 22, 2007
"THE "REAL" HR KING!
2007 SMLL CHAMPION GIANTS !!
June 29, 2007
2007 SMLL CHAMPION GIANTS!!
|
|
